Russell Mokhiber

Articles by this author

ViewsSaturday, January 31, 2015 - 9:00amWest Virginia Legislation Would Criminalize Teaching Social Problems FirstAttention West Virginia civics teachers. Legislation was introduced this week in the West Virginia House of Delegates (HB 2107) that would prohibit the teaching of “social problems, economics, foreign affairs, the United Nations, world government, socialism or communism until basic courses in...Read more

ViewsSunday, January 25, 2015 - 8:00amKeith Ellison Says Get Corporate Crime Money Out of PoliticsSome citizen activists want to get money out of politics. Congressman Keith Ellison (D-Minnesota) wants to take a baby step — get corporate crime money out of politics. Ellison has introduced legislation — the Protect Democracy from Criminal Corporations Act — that would limit campaign expenditures...Read more

ViewsTuesday, December 2, 2014 - 8:15amNews Organizations Move to Overturn Gag Order in Blankenship CaseA group of news organizations — the Charleston Gazette , National Public Radio, the Associated Press, the Wall Street Journal — and Friends of West Virginia Public Broadcasting — have filed a motion to overturn Judge Irene Berger’s gag order in the criminal case against former Massey CEO Don...Read more

ViewsWednesday, November 19, 2014 - 8:15amGag Order in Blankenship Case Under FireIt’s a remarkable gag order. And reporters and news organizations in West Virginia are circling the wagons, looking to overturn it. The criminal indictment of former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship for his role in the April 2010 Upper Big Branch explosion has been the top story in West Virginia...Read more

ViewsSunday, December 1, 2013 - 9:01amThe Life of a Corporate LobbyistSteve Wehrly worked for more than 25 years as a corporate lobbyist in Washington state and Washington, D.C. He represented beer companies (Miller Brewing), insurance companies (Safeco Insurance), tobacco industry (smokeless tobacco council), and casinos (Muckleshoot Tribe). Wehrly was successful. He saved tens of millions of dollars for his clients.Read more

ViewsTuesday, July 16, 2013 - 1:06pmThe Case for a Corporate Homicide LawWhen Ira Reiner was the District Attorney for Los Angeles County back twenty‑five years ago or so, he had a policy of opening a criminal investigation every time a worker died on the job. Not that he would prosecute every case. But he would investigate every case as a corporate crime. And sometimes he would bring criminal charges against the corporation for the death of a worker.Read more

ViewsTuesday, June 18, 2013 - 12:24pmThe Price of Justice: Greed, Corruption and Big CoalCheck out this cast of characters. Don Blankenship, the former CEO of Massey Energy. He lives in a big house. Hugh Caperton, a mine owner, who alleges that Massey drove him out of business. He lives in a big house.Read more

ViewsSunday, May 26, 2013 - 9:28amCollateral Consequences Weighed for Corporations, Not for IndividualsIn case you had any doubt that federal prosecutors favor corporations over individuals, check out Mythili Raman’s testimony before a House hearing this week. Raman is the acting chief of the Criminal Division at the Department of Justice. She appeared before the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the House Financial Services Committee.Read more

ViewsSunday, April 14, 2013 - 12:58pmIn HOV Lane, Is a Corporation a Person?In the High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane, is the corporation a person? Jonathan Frieman wants to know. That’s why for ten years he traveled in the HOV lanes in northern California alongside legal papers of one of his non profit corporations — the JoMiJo Foundation. And for ten years, no police officer stopped him.Read more